Protect What’s Mine (Rock Hard Security Book 2) Read online

  Protect

  What’s

  Mine

  Rock Hard Security 2

  An Older Alpha, Younger BBW Romance

  By

  Vikki Sweet

  © Protect What’s Mine by Vikki Sweet 2019

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  Cover designed by Vikki Sweet

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Don’t miss the other books in the Rock Hard Security series:

  Rich Salty Butter - Dwayne & Georgia

  Protect What’s Mine - Joe & Kelly

  Dirty Mouth - Bear & Chloe (out next week)

  Everyone Loves Big D - Daryl & Faith (coming soon)

  Grab a new sexy story every week: https://tinyletter.com/vikkisweet

  Protect What’s Mine

  A Sizzling Romance featuring an older Alpha male and a younger curvy woman.

  Kelly

  I’ve been in love with Joe for years, but it’s time to face the facts; he has no feelings for me. And you know what? Thats fine! There are plenty of fish in the sea and I’m gonna go find me a big strong one to finally make a woman out of me. What’s the point in saving myself for a man who doesn’t want me?

  Joe

  I don’t do relationships. My father taught me that marriage and love is a trap. I do one night stands and brief pleasurable flings.

  Kelly is forbidden fruit. I know she has feelings for me, but I’m too old for her and besides, she’s my boss’s daughter and my best friend’s sister. No woman has ever been more untouchable. Especially for the kind of things I’d like to do to her.

  But then I get a call from her dad, telling me that she’s in danger, he begs me to keep her hidden and safe while he and the guys at Rock Hard Security take care of business.

  Can Kelly prove to Joe that love isn’t a cage? Can Joe bear to let Kelly go once he’s spent the night making her his?

  Chapter 1

  Kelly

  My phone vibrates again for the tenth time this evening! What is my father’s problem? Sometimes a girl just needs to be left the hell alone.

  He’s been calling multiple times a day over the last few weeks since the wedding. Reminding me to pack my pepper spray, checking if I’m alright, making sure I’m eating properly.

  Oh my god! Enough is enough. I’m twenty-two and I’ve been living on my own and supporting myself since I was eighteen.

  I know he’s worried about me, I haven’t been the same since Dwayne and Georgia’s wedding. He keeps hinting that it’s totally okay and normal for a single woman, like myself, to feel a little down after weddings, and worse, a bunch of the older women in town have been trying to set me up with their son’s and nephews, which means, the gruff jackass has been confiding again in my aunt Pamela.

  I roll my eyes but smile at the picture of Dad on my phone. A veteran of too many stints in the Middle East, he always looks stern and weather-worn with a shock of grey hair and piercing blue eyes. The guys at Rock Hard Security all call him Sarge, and from what I hear he was a real hard-ass in the army.

  He wasn’t around much growing up, and when he was he rarely smiled. My brother and I lived with our Aunt Pamela when he was away, but when he was home he never missed an opportunity to spend as much time with us as humanly possible. He took us hunting, fishing, hiking, and never missed an opportunity to teach us about survival, fighting, and standing up for ourselves and others. And he did not go easy on me, because I was a girl, either.

  I love him most for that.

  He never smiled much, which is probably why most people think he’s mean. But he hugged so tight and returned every one of our letters when he was away. Which, looking back must have been incredibly difficult.

  Guilt twists in my chest. Maybe he’s the one who’s feeling lonely. What if he’s been calling so often since the wedding because he’s feeling alone. It’s been almost twenty years since mum died and in a lot of ways, serving probably helped to block out and distract him from the pain of losing her. But maybe since he’s been back home its been creeping up on him.

  Damn. Having a broken heart hasn’t just made me depressing to be around, it’s making me selfish too!

  I gently press my lips to the screen and say, “I’ll come see you tomorrow, Dad.” Then turn it off.

  I need tonight. I need this one night to put Joe Dixon well and truly behind me. I’ve been fawning over him like a teenager with a crush for long enough. At the wedding he’d made it glaringly clear that the reason he didn’t want to be with me was because he preferred a very different kind of woman, ideally a skinny redhead skank named Vera Watson.

  Jealousy stings at my fingertips and singes behind my eyes as I remember rounding a corner of the reception hall to use the bathroom, only to stop dead in my tracks at the sight.

  Joe, my Joe had her pressed against the wall, his mouth dangerously close to hers, his hands gripping her arms as he whispered to her and she purred like the sluttiest cat in the west.

  Okay, that was mean. It wasn’t Vera’s fault Joe chose her instead of me.

  It still hurt though and it’s the reason I haven’t been myself lately. But I need to accept that he doesn’t love me. He doesn’t want me. And it’s time to move on.

  That’s the plan for tonight. I’m going to dance and drink and hopefully find a new man who actually wants me.

  I eye the phone again, but I don’t turn it back on.

  It’s only one night. What’s the worst that could happen?

  Joe

  I answer my phone on the first ring. Sarge only calls when it’s important.

  “What do you need?” I say. Same thing I always say when he calls. In the last ten years since we’ve been home, I’ve never said no to him once. I owe him my life.

  “It’s Kelly. She’s not answering her phone,” Sarge says and his voice is tense and worried.

  The name makes me stiffen but I force out a breath and keep my voice cool. “Maybe her phone is charging or she’s in the shower.”

  Those are the wrong words. Immediately my mind fills with the image of Kelly standing naked and soapy under a hot spray. I shut my eyes and shake my head. This isn’t the time!

  “I’ve been calling for an hour, how long does it take to have a bloody shower?”

  “Sarge, what’s going on?”

  His sharp tone puts me on alert. In Iraq it was his cool head that pulled us out of more than a few deadly confrontations. He kept us together and made us all feel braver than we were, made us want to be better than we were, and he kept us alive. Sarge never loses his cool.

  He takes a long breath. “Do you remember Henry Bower? Would have been about a decade ago. Just after we started the security business.”

  It takes me a moment. “That piece of shit rapist we helped put away?” My blood runs cold. Bower was a seriously sick man. “Did he escape?”

  “Worse, he was paroled yesterday.”

  “What!” I jump to my feet. “Shouldn’t we have been called to testify at his parole hearing?”

  “Apparently not.” Sarge sighed. “Before he went away, he made some pretty nasty threats towards Dwayne and Kelly. I’m not worried about Dwayne, he’s in the middle of the ocean somewhere on his honeym
oon.”

  “Kelly.” The word is a panicked whisper. “Oh God.”

  The pain in my chest is like a knife.

  “She’s okay,” he says. “Bear and Big D have had eyes on Bower all day and he hasn’t been anywhere near her apartment. I doubt he even knows where it is.”

  I sit down hard, the relief making my knees buckle. “I’ll go to her apartment. Won’t leave until I hear from you.”

  “Thanks, mate,” Sarge replies. “I doubt he’ll be able to last more than a week before breaking his parole. So we’re gonna help him with that. We’ve all seen this story play out too many times.”

  I agree. Too many times convicted rapists and murderers get out of prison only to commit the same brutal crime again. The truth was, some people shouldn’t be on the street.

  “But if something goes wrong,” Sarge is saying. “I need to know Kelly is safe.”

  “I’m on it,” I say, already grabbing up my keys and heading for the door. “I’ll bring her to my apartment, lock the place down and wait for the all clear.”

  Sarge let out a bark of laughter. “Good luck with that. My girl is stubborn as they come and never been good at following orders.”

  “Tell me about it,” I mutter before calling off and locking the door behind me.

  Chapter 2

  Kelly

  Tony’s Nightclub is pounding when the bouncer lets me in with a wink and a smile. Having a friend who works the bar means that I nearly never have to line up.

  The music is loud and heavy on the base and the view of red and purple lights in the dimly lit club, along with the smells of aftershave, perfume, alcohol, and sweat is so intoxicating I feel my mood lifting with every step.

  “Hey, chicky,” Chloe calls from the bar and I smile as I make my way over. “You look smoking hot!”

  She lets out a low wolf whistle at my halter dress and strappy heels.

  “I’ll take it,” I say then turn to look at the people dancing. There were a few couples but lots of guys and ladies dancing alone or with friends too.

  “Anyone catch your eye?” Chloe says, sliding a shot over to me.

  I notice two men dancing near a couple of girls but when one looks up, he nudges the other and they both smile at me.

  “I guess,” I say then swallow the shot and shake my head as it burns all the way down.

  “Ooh, they’re cute and they’re definitely checking you out.”

  A spiteful little voice tells me that they’ve probably already tried all the hot girls and think I’ll be easy.

  Well, they’re not wrong.

  “Tonight is the night,” I say and accept a second shot. “No more saving myself for Joe Dixion. I am done with him.”

  “Or you could just dance, have fun, and give a cute guy your number,” Chloe says. “A broken heart can make you reckless. Don’t do anything you’ll regret later.”

  “That’s the whole point,” I say laughing. “I want to regret everything about tonight to give me something else to think about besides what it felt like to see him with that…” I feel my eyes sting and my mouth starts to crumple.

  I will not cry! Not one more tear goes to Joe.

  “I aim to misbehave.” I give her a bright smile and a wink before making my way to the dance floor and the two men reeling me in.

  “Will,” one says.

  “Craig,” says the other.

  I just smile and start to move, letting them move in around me.

  One song bleeds into the next and the three of us are lost in the music. I don’t talk. I just move and feel the base matching with my heartbeat. I’m not me tonight. Tonight I’m a stranger. I want to lose myself. Forget everything.

  And for a little while I do.

  A movement near the bar makes me blink and I almost stop moving.

  Joe is standing at the edge of the dance floor, glaring at me.

  His hair is dark and shaggy no matter how much he brushes it and contrasts with his neatly trimmed facial hair giving him a dangerous wolfish look. Just seeing him makes me dizzy. His white button up shirt, stretched over that wide chest, sleeves rolled to his elbows, glows in the strobing lights. Tight blue jeans cling to his long, thick thighs.

  My god, he’s mouthwatering.

  Did he come here looking for me or was he just after another random hook up and is pissed because he thinks I followed him, again? Well, he doesn’t need to worry about me following him ever again. I’m done.

  Needing to break the link between us, once and for all, I turn away and wind my arms around the shoulders of the man who’d been dancing behind me. He grins and settles his hands on my hips as we dance together, close.

  Joe

  I arrive at the club and after a few words with the bouncer, we shake hands and he lets me in. When I didn’t find her at her apartment, I remembered that she mentioned having a friend who worked the bar in a club called Tony’s. Chloe I think her name was.

  I approach the bar , scanning the club as I go. Lots of people dancing but in the dim lighting it’s almost impossible to see anything. The woman at the bar has a barely visible name tag: Chloe.

  She’s stunning. Dirty blond hair tied in a messy knot, leather pants and red tank. The only distracting flaw is a thin white scar running down from her eye and down under her chin. It gives her a dangerous look of a woman with a story.

  “Chloe?” I have to yell to be heard over the pulsing beat.

  She gives me a quick apprising look and her mouth turns upwards. “Depends who’s asking.”

  “I’m Joe. I think you can help me. I’m looking for a friend of yours, someone said she might be here. Her name’s Kelly?”

  Almost immediately her expression turns cold and her eyes get hard.

  “You have a fucking nerve!” She says and I actually jump back. She’s fierce with a slightly crazy glint in her eyes. I should probably tell Bear about her. She’s definitely his type and he’s been single for a long while.

  “So you know her then?”

  She lets out a nasty laugh. “Yeah, I know her. She’s a little busy right now.” She nods towards the dance floor and I look over just in time to spy my girl dancing between two other guys.

  I march towards her and stop at the edge of the floor. I’m so mad, my whole body is shaking. I need to calm down or I might just kill those boys. Part of me wants to tear them limb from limb for touching Kelly.

  Just then, she spots me. Her eyes widen in recognition but she doesn’t move towards me or even stop dancing. She looks incredible. The dress clings to her curves and swaying hips in the sexiest ways and her breasts are almost bursting out of the low cut neckline. Her face is radiant, her cheeks slightly flushed. Her blond hair cascades around her shoulders and her eyes flash as she holds my gaze even as she continues to dance with two other men.

  What is she doing with them? Why would she come here? She loves me, damn it! I feel a ridiculous need to stamp my foot. How dare she let them touch her. She’s mine. Has always been mine.

  At Dwayne and Georgia’s wedding, I’d been so close to breaking my vow and finally taking Kelly for my own. So I’d flirted with that red-headed woman, I can’t even remember her name. All I know is that she was a relative of Georgia’s. I knew Kelly would see us together. I wanted her to know I wasn’t available.

  But the look of pain on her beautiful face as she backed away, slashed at my chest and I knew I’d gotten what I wanted. But all I wanted to do was chase after her and get her back. What the hell was wrong with me?

  Now it looks like she’s well and truely moved on. Kelly turns away and curls her arms around the taller man’s shoulders. For his part, the man looks delighted, like he’s won the damn lottery!

  Sorry, buddy, not tonight.

  I stride over and tap her on the shoulder.

  “Fun’s over,” I snap. “Time to go home. Your father is worried sick.”

  She blinks up at me as though she can’t believe what she’s hearing. “Excuse me? I’m not a
child, I’m a grown woman and I’m having fun.” Her jaw tightens before she smiles tightly. “I don’t want you here. I’ll call my father in the morning after I get home.”

  Wait, what? Is she planning to spend the night with one of these bozos?

  Not if I have anything to say about it.

  “It’s more than that. Come on, I’ll explain in the car where I don’t need to yell to be heard.” My tone leaves no room for argument and I expect her to do as she’s told.

  Kelly crosses her arms and laughs. She laughs! At me!

  “Go home, Joe. I’m not coming with you.”

  Before I can argue further the two boys she was dancing with get in my face.

  “Hey, bro, I think she made herself clear,” white hair says.

  “She wants to stay with us,” brown hair and nose piercing adds, then gives me a wicked smile. “Don’t worry we’ll take good care of her.”

  Something inside me snaps. Two punches drops them both to the ground and before Kelly can protest, I pick her up, and fold her over my shoulder, fireman style, and carry her out.

  “What are you doing you big stupid ape!” She yells, slapping at my back. “I don’t want you. I want to dance with people who are fun, not grouchy jerks who punch everyone.”

  I deliver a sharp slap to her ass and she yelps but goes quiet.

  “About time,” a voice calls out and I look back to see Chloe grinning at me. “You look after her now. If you don’t I’ll come looking for you.”

  I give her a wink and a lopsided grin. I’m never letting my girl go.

  Chapter 3

  Kelly

  The car is a bubble of silent rage. I can’t believe I felt guilty for leaving my father hanging. How could he do this? How could he send Joe, of all people to come drag me out of a club like some naughty teenager!

  I look over at Joe and feel my teeth grinding. He thinks’s he so superior. Look at him there with his chiseled jaw, strong arms, thick muscly thighs…

  Fuck him!

  No! I never want to do that. Not with him, not anymore after he humiliated me!

  “So are you done pouting? Can we talk?” He says.